Chapter 44
I watched Gavriel’s hug linger, saw Rhea press herself into him, eyes bright and stubbornly holding onto any tears.
She fought until he finally pulled away—just then a single drop betrayed her resolve.
She wiped it away angerly and tried to smile.
He smoothed her hair, murmured something I couldn’t catch, swung onto his bike, and we watched as he rode off.
“Come on. Let’s get you settled.” I grabbed her duffle bag as she snatched the suitcase.
We loaded them into the back seat and drove off.
Dad’s wasn’t far, but I drove out of the city, and doubled back.
Rhea’s hands fidgeted in her lap all the way.
She stared out the window, face set in that familiar distant mask.
I said nothing, driving through the back streets with tall pines and bushes of manzanita by homes that were still dark this early in the morning.
Driving down an alley, I pulled into the hidden drive behind the house. The backyard sat obscured from the street, invisible to passing neighbors and their dogs.
I used my key and held the door open for Rhea.
She opened her mouth to say something, but I wanted us to stay quiet until we were in the bunker in case one of Azzaro’s guys had bugged the main house.
We moved down the narrow hallway, down the half-rotted steps to the basement, my footsteps heavy in the stale air.
“Why are we at Joel’s?” Rhea’s voice was small, almost swallowed by the concrete walls.
I didn’t answer her question. Instead, I slid an old shelving unit aside until a seam in the wall appeared—a hidden door. I pushed it open, and she brushed past me into the safe house Dad had built in secret.
Filtered air, unnaturally dry but clean, greeted us. After closing the door and locking it, I turned to Rhea. “This is why we are at Dad’s.”
Where we came in, there was an arched ceiling to mimic the sky, fake grass, and as you turned the corner, there was approximately 300 square feet of yard that led to a porch.
“It looks like the outdoors, but completely underground.” She was looking around in total awe. “I didn’t know this was down here.”
Smiling, I couldn’t wait to see her reaction to the living space. Dad had gone all out. He knew he might have to disappear for a few months, and he wanted to be comfortable. “Ready to see your temporary safe house?”
“Umm . . . yeah.”
Opening the door, I stepped inside and let her follow me in. “Welcome home.”
“Holy shit.” Her eyes were wide as she took in over 1,000 square feet of living space.
“Open-floor plan to help it not feel claustrophobic, electric fireplace, all fed by solar installed on top of the main house. Two bedrooms in the back, with a full bathroom. Shower only though. There is a pantry in the hall that is stocked with enough food to keep a small family alive for months. Everything is hooked into the sewer lines, the water supply as steady as any in the city.”
We made our way toward the back and put her bags in the main bedroom before turning to the pantry. She finally saw the rows of metal shelving with all the supplies she could want.
Rhea drifted between them, eyes wide. She pointed to a matte-black emergency box at the back. “Breaker?”
I shook my head as I moved past her. Opening it, I showed there was an old-style push-button wired phone. “This is a secure line. Push the number 5 and it will call a dedicated line that goes only to me.”
“Five? What are the other programmed numbers?”
I let the corner of my lips lift. “There aren’t.
Most people would think to dial 911 or press 1 or 0.
It’s a mild failsafe, but it’s there. If anyone ever comes into the main house and downstairs and you even remotely think anyone might have found the door,” I said, my voice flat but certain, “you call me on this. For emergencies only. Don’t answer the door for anyone except me, Gavriel, or Harley. ”
“But Gavriel doesn’t know about this place.”
I took a deep breath. “He will if something happens to me. I’ll also bring him with me to pull you out when the time comes.”
She nodded in acceptance and swallowed down any fear.
“Come on, I want to show you the security room.” I took her directly across the hall to a wall of screens showing different angles around the house, inside, the stairs to the basement, and lastly to the spot where the hidden door was.
Quickly, I gave her a rundown of the system, and when we were done, I asked, “Any questions?”
“Yeah, what’s that door there.”
I swallowed, turning my head to look at it.
It was half size and somewhat hidden under the desk.
“Something I hope you never have to use.” Turning back to her, I said, “If anyone happens to breach the door in the basement, go through this door, get on the cart, and hit the green button. It will carry you out of town and to a garage we have out in the hills with a car that has a complete go-bag. I go out there every month to ensure everything runs okay. Once that door opens, a text is sent to me so that I know what happened and can meet you out there as soon as possible.”
She flopped into the chair in front of the screens. “What was Joel running from?”
I took a really large breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know exactly, but he worked for Don Azzaro. Maybe if he thought shit was going to go south, he wanted to have a backup plan.”
“Upon backup plan, considering the escape hatch.” The muttered statement came out a little snarky, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. She wasn’t wrong.
Taking her hands, I led her back to the living room, where we sat on a cream-colored fabric couch that was like sitting on a fucking cloud. “Are you okay?”
“Yes . . . no. It’s overwhelming.” Rhea leaned back into the cushions and chuckled. “I can’t believe I’m staying in my dead boyfriend’s safe house.”
“Only Dad and I knew this place was here. Despite the concrete walls, Dad filled it with plush furniture, good lighting, a small library of books, and a complete arsenal of weapons, should they be needed. Opposite the dish soap, behind the boxes of cereal, are cases of guns and ammo.” I stood to leave, and she took my hands.
"Thank you," Rhea whispered, her fingers trembling in mine.
"Gav and I are going to do everything we can to fix this, okay?" I assured her.
She nodded, trying to appear brave. "When will I see you again?"
"Soon," I promised, though we both knew it might be a lie. "Try to rest. Love you, Rhea."
“Love you too, Elin.”
After securing Rhea, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. She'd be safe there until Rico delivered her new identity.
On the way back, I took the longest, most convoluted route.
I had to make sure no one was following me or may have realized where I had secured Rhea.
I doubled back a few times, just to make sure the place was still and quiet.
Once I was sure I was in the clear, I drove to Gavriel’s penthouse, where he would be waiting.
My mind raced with possibilities. Keeping Rhea hidden was only the first step.
As long as Don Ezequiel Azzaro and Miguel Juarez lived, she would never be truly free.
I used my keycard to make the elevator go straight up without stopping, leaned back against the wall, and looked at my reflection. The stress was starting to put a line between my eyebrows, and I just looked worn.
What I would give to be able to sleep for like three days.
When the elevator opened to his foyer, Gavriel was pacing the length of the living room. I swear he’s going to wear out the hardwood.
"She's secure," I said as I locked the front door behind me. "Trust me, she’s safe. No one will find her."
He turned, relief washing over his features before darkness settled back in.
"My father called. He already knows she's gone. Asked me if I knew where she was. I told him no because I don’t, and he proceeded to threaten me every which way to Sunday. It wasn’t until I told him that I would search for her that he calmed down.
He's tearing the city apart looking for her. "
"Then we need to end this. Permanently."
"What are you suggesting?" His voice was carefully neutral, but I could see the dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"Don Ezequiel needs to die," I stated flatly. "And Juarez too, if we can manage it. It's time for you to take your rightful place."
Gavriel didn't look surprised by my suggestion. While I’d been putting together potential plans for days, it was obvious he’d been thinking about it too. I could see it in the calculated coldness that had replaced his earlier panic.
"A coup," he said softly. "Against my own father."
I stepped closer to him and rested my hand over his heart, and he stared deep into my eyes as his throat bobbed.
There was some fear in that gaze, but also maybe relief?
"He stopped being your father the moment he killed your best friend and sold your sister to a monster. This ends now or it never does."
He nodded slowly, coming to stand beside me. "I have men who are loyal to me, not him. Harley can organize them. But my father is well-protected, and Juarez even more so."
“Okay, so we walk in the front door. Under guise—”
“No.” Gavriel was shaking his head. “My father has told all security that if you step one toe onto the compound, then you are to be shot on sight. He wanted me to end things with you and if I didn’t, he was going to solve the problem.
” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.
“Obviously, I have chosen not to end things with the woman I love.”
“A kill order, huh?” I looked up to him and saw the truth of his words.
My mind was racing through different options as I paced a few short steps, and he watched my every move.
I thought about going on-site as a delivery person or cleaning staff, and each one completely failed on its face.
The one that kept sticking with any chance of success was going to piss Gavriel off.